[Focux]

Clear soundstage is airy, well defined and can seem limitless in its expanse, depending on the recording.

The Clear, open box, can be had here:
https://www.headphones.com/collections/over-ear-on-ear-headphones/products/focal-clear-open-box

Great folks to deal with, too!

Is that a clone site of headphone.com ???

The prices and layout are identical

 

[boxster233]

Is that a clone site of headphone.com ???

The prices and layout are identical

Pretty much. Both run by same great people.

 

[eIndi]

Has anybody here measured the frequency response of his Clear and noticed it change over time? Mine seems to have changed over the last few months...

Pad wear comes to mind, but I have a Clear Pro and the worn and fresh spare pads basically measure the same up to the treble range, where everything gets sensitive to headphone positioning.

I use a MiniDSP EARS to measure. The results are very repeatable up to 2 kHz. You can see the peak around 1.3 kHz is less pronounced now. Sub bass is decreased, mid and upper bass are slightly increased.
Either the headphones or the measurement setup have changed.

 

[dontfeedphils]

Has anybody here measured the frequency response of his Clear and noticed it change over time? Mine seems to have changed over the last few months...

Pad wear comes to mind, but I have a Clear Pro and the worn and fresh spare pads basically measure the same up to the treble range, where everything gets sensitive to headphone positioning.

I use a MiniDSP EARS to measure. The results are very repeatable up to 2 kHz. You can see the peak around 1.3 kHz is less pronounced now. Sub bass is decreased, mid and upper bass are slightly increased.
Either the headphones or the measurement setup have changed.

Pretty sure the Focal line can measure a good bit different depending on slight changes to the headphone positioning, given that they're angled drivers. Maybe that's to blame?

 

[eIndi]

For treble, positioning causes easily measurable differences. For bass and mids the measurements are very repeatable.

 

[B0NES]

Posted in Elear thread, but thought I’d post here too.

I finally had a chance to audition the Elear and Clear for about 20 min each and I loved them both. I enjoyed both so much I’ve been leaning toward the Elear more because of the price. I’m able to grab the Elear at $500 and Clear at $900 brand new.

I’m pretty new to the audiophile world so I don’t quite have the refined language to describe my ideal sound yet. I mainly listen to hip hop, alternative pop/rock/folk, and enjoy vocals. The HD650 were too dark, veiled and neutral for me. The K7XX were too bright/sibilant so I used them just for gaming. I have the Mimby, Bimby, Magni 2U, Jot, and Emotiva BasX A100.

I felt bored with the HD650. I’m looking for a “fun” pair of headphones for the music I like — I was thinking something ZMF at first, but the Atticus and Eikon don’t quite fit my tastes. When I tried the Focal Elear and Clear, I felt the music come to life in a way I hadn’t experienced before. I loved them. Even the Utopia felt less fun because of the reduced bass in comparison, though definitely more detailed (plus it’s way outside of my price range).

Do y’all have any advice as I try to decide between the Elear and Clear? Thank you!

 

[parimento1]

Hey Bones,

I love the Clears. Where can you buy them for $900 new? I'll buy it right now!

 

[gb21011971]

Posted in Elear thread, but thought I’d post here too.

I finally had a chance to audition the Elear and Clear for about 20 min each and I loved them both. I enjoyed both so much I’ve been leaning toward the Elear more because of the price. I’m able to grab the Elear at $500 and Clear at $900 brand new.

I’m pretty new to the audiophile world so I don’t quite have the refined language to describe my ideal sound yet. I mainly listen to hip hop, alternative pop/rock/folk, and enjoy vocals. The HD650 were too dark, veiled and neutral for me. The K7XX were too bright/sibilant so I used them just for gaming. I have the Mimby, Bimby, Magni 2U, Jot, and Emotiva BasX A100.

I felt bored with the HD650. I’m looking for a “fun” pair of headphones for the music I like — I was thinking something ZMF at first, but the Atticus and Eikon don’t quite fit my tastes. When I tried the Focal Elear and Clear, I felt the music come to life in a way I hadn’t experienced before. I loved them. Even the Utopia felt less fun because of the reduced bass in comparison, though definitely more detailed (plus it’s way outside of my price range).

Do y’all have any advice as I try to decide between the Elear and Clear? Thank you!

Owned the Elear and still own the Clear. I loved the Elear - for about 20 min . Then the bass got overwhelming relative to the recessed mids and highs. If you only listen to EMD, maybe the Elear is a good choice, but IMO it's not an alrounder...

 

[pataburd]

The Clear are well-balanced with "just enough" of everything and, for my ears, very capable all-rounders. [I also own and enjoy the Utopia, but I have not heard the Elear.]

 

[makne]

I heard these at CanJam and fell in love with them. How do you guys feel about the soundstage on these? I am very much considering picking up a used pair for about $950.

Soundstage definitely on the smaller side for an open-back, but imaging and separation, the proportions of the soundstage is all truly excellent. Especially in depth/layering I feel like the Clear is exceptional.
For soundstage size and spaciousness, the Clear can’t compare to my HEX v2, but the Clear is far more «precise»

 

[MLGrado]

Okay, after some more listening to the Clear Pro, I am convinced break-in is a thing.

At first they were obvious just a tick bright with an 'edge' throughout. The bass was fairly anemic, but after putting probably 50 hours on them since they arrived, that is changing. They get smoother every time I listen, and the bass is coming into its own. Treble still slightly edgy or maybe a bit grainy is a better way to say it. But, its gets better every time I listen.


The real eye opener was going back to listen to my Audeze LCD-X. Whoa! Sounded so much different, and there really wasn't anything that stood out over the clear other than bass punch. But the Clear strikes back with a cleaner bass. I don't know if harmonic distortion measurements would show a major difference, but the only instrument that matters... my EARS.... say the bass is much more natural and refined.

Overall, I hate to say it, I think they are more than just a marginally better headphone that the LCD-X. The overall increase in listener enjoyment has me probably putting the LCD-X up on the Head Fi market, if you are interested!

 

[boxster233]

Okay, after some more listening to the Clear Pro, I am convinced break-in is a thing.

At first they were obvious just a tick bright with an 'edge' throughout. The bass was fairly anemic, but after putting probably 50 hours on them since they arrived, that is changing. They get smoother every time I listen, and the bass is coming into its own. Treble still slightly edgy or maybe a bit grainy is a better way to say it. But, its gets better every time I listen.


The real eye opener was going back to listen to my Audeze LCD-X. Whoa! Sounded so much different, and there really wasn't anything that stood out over the clear other than bass punch, control. But the Clear strikes back with a cleaner bass. I don't know if harmonic distortion measurements would show a major difference, but the only instrument that matters... my EARS.... say the bass is much more natural and refined.

Overall, I hate to say it, I think they are more than just a marginally better headphone that the LCD-X. The overall increase in listener enjoyment has me probably putting the LCD-X up on the Head Fi market, if you are interested!

Im probably hitting a similar mark or maybe closer to 75-100 hours with my Clear and the bass is increasing in prominence and coming into its own. It’s not knock your socks off but it’s not as anemic as at first listen.

 

[MLGrado]

Im probably hitting a similar mark or maybe closer to 75-100 hours with my Clear and the bass is increasing in prominence and coming into its own. It’s not knock your socks off but it’s not as anemic as at first listen.

good to know one is having a similar experience. Yes, the bass without doubt comes into its own over time. I don't think this would ever be in a basshead's collection, fortunately for me, bass heavy/electronica/etc isn't on my playlist...

 

[dan3952]

Okay, after some more listening to the Clear Pro, I am convinced break-in is a thing.

At first they were obvious just a tick bright with an 'edge' throughout. The bass was fairly anemic, but after putting probably 50 hours on them since they arrived, that is changing. They get smoother every time I listen, and the bass is coming into its own. Treble still slightly edgy or maybe a bit grainy is a better way to say it. But, its gets better every time I listen.


The real eye opener was going back to listen to my Audeze LCD-X. Whoa! Sounded so much different, and there really wasn't anything that stood out over the clear other than bass punch, control. But the Clear strikes back with a cleaner bass. I don't know if harmonic distortion measurements would show a major difference, but the only instrument that matters... my EARS.... say the bass is much more natural and refined.

Overall, I hate to say it, I think they are more than just a marginally better headphone that the LCD-X. The overall increase in listener enjoyment has me probably putting the LCD-X up on the Head Fi market, if you are interested!

You should get detailed, and cold and metallic, but not grainy, treble, once the Clear is broken in. The LCD-X would sound dark in comparison, and the Clear lively.

Audeze bass is lovely but I think I will pass on them. Thanks for the tip about the heavy LCD-X, I will avoid them as well, especially since the HiFiMan Arya has come out.

I find the Clear bass extension to be average, but low distortion. I use cheaper Shure closed backs for highly processed and distorted hard rock music (where I don't need the high level of detail as much), and the Clears for everything else, especially stripped down acoustic songs that have strings, pianos, or bows.

Anything that was recorded as brassy, shouty or sibilant can get fatiguing with the Clears. Dark recordings like U2's The Joshua Tree will sound good with the Clears.

 

[MLGrado]

You should get detailed, and cold and metallic, but not grainy, treble, once the Clear is broken in. The LCD-X would sound dark in comparison, and the Clear lively.

Audeze bass is lovely but I think I will pass on them. Thanks for the tip about the heavy LCD-X, I will avoid them as well, especially since the HiFiMan Arya has come out.

I find the Clear bass extension to be average, but low distortion. I use cheaper Shure closed backs for highly processed and distorted hard rock music (where I don't need the high level of detail as much), and the Clears for everything else, especially stripped down acoustic songs that have strings, pianos, or bows.

Anything that was recorded as brassy, shouty or sibilant can get fatiguing with the Clears. Dark recordings like U2's The Joshua Tree will sound good with the Clears.

Yes, my observation on bass is the same. Very low in distortion. Super clean, tight and musical.

Sibilance.... the Clear will indeed have no pity on recordings that have higher than average sibilance. I am not going to fault the headphones. I just have to remind myself it's the recording, and the Clear is living up to its name.... what's there in the recording is hitting my ears.